From http://ens.lycos.com/ens/apr2000/2000L-04-25-09.html
If adopted without the increased use of herbicides that chemical no-till
implies, (maybe by using some of Greg's method of no till with rye where
applicable) this really could be a win-win as Dr. Bloomfield suggests. I
wonder if farmers will ever be allowed to offer fee based carbon
sequestration services to power plant owner? ;>)
Mike Miller
FARMERS CAN HELP CONTROL GLOBAL WARMING
NEW YORK, New York, April 25, 2000 (ENS) - "Soil Sense: How Farmers Can
Profit And Help To Control Global Warming," is a new brochure that shows
farmers how they can grow crops in ways that keep more carbon in the soil
not allowing it to escape into the atmosphere. Emissions of the greenhouse
gas carbon dioxide (C02) from industry and automobiles contribute to global
warming. There are also many ways for farmers to manage their fields and
livestock that can improve their wallets and keep the planet cooler. The
brochure was released today by the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Natural
Resources Conservation Service, the National Agroforestry Center, the Soil
and Water Conservation Society and Environmental Defense.
"These practices are a win-win option," said Dr. Janine Bloomfield, an
Environmental Defense scientist. "These strategies make economic and
ecological sense for farmers. Investing in climate change control can have
financial benefits for US agriculture, and long-term benefits for people
and the planet." The brochure spotlights practices such as conservation or
"no-till" cultivation systems that increase carbon storage in the soil,
reduce the number of field operations, thereby saving energy, money, and
time, and can increase productivity, and reduce soil erosion. Better
management of nitrogen fertilizers means that less greenhouse gases will
become trapped in the atmosphere and fields lose fewer nutrients to ground
and surface waters. Farmers save money on fertilizer costs and protect
water quality. In large livestock operations, recovery systems for liquid
manure reduce emissions of the greenhouse gas methane, improve water
quality, and can be a source of energy - biogas. The brochure is available
on-line at http://www.swcs.org/f_pubs_education.htm
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